


Sounds of Joy

by Reverse_Vampire



Category: Final Fantasy Type-0
Genre: Gen, Note: sad and tragic stuff, Pretty much an expansion of Chapter 8, Tears tears everywhere, if you're looking for a happy story this is not the right one for you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-14 23:58:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5764006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reverse_Vampire/pseuds/Reverse_Vampire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At their final moments, the younger members of Class Zero come together and brace themselves for the future they will fight for to the very end. Deuce plays her flute once more, hoping to see a better future together with Class Zero. </p>
<p>Expansion of Chapter 8 and good ending (where Class Zero remains mortal) of Final Fantasy Type-0.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sounds of Joy

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic I have written in a long time (since like...2010, I forgot), and my first fic posted on AO3. As such, this one-shot is pretty much a writing exercise to begin with and more of a spring broad that will lead me to more ambitious works in future. If you spot any inaccuracies in my fic, please tell me and I will take note of it in the future. I hope you enjoy reading this!

Tempus Finis.

The time for final judgement.

Or at least from Deuce’s perspective, that was what Ace, Trey and Queen understood from the texts provided by Mother years ago. Deuce was observing the view at the Terrace, possibly to get away from the other Class Zero cadets, needing some time for herself before their next plan in their attempt to make their next move to save Orience from the apocalypse stated in the Nameless Tome.  

All she could do is wait and watch the world around her taking each step forward to its demise. What was once a great viewing spot for the Agito cadets to get away from schoolwork and the harsh realities of war was now a reminder of Orience's final fate to be judged upon. As Deuce could see within her surroundings, all she observed were the skies as red as crimson with nary a cloud nor a spark of light in sight. The colour of water from the sea surrounding Akademeia reminded her of red wine that she would sometimes saw the officers drink in private.

 

_"There will be no Agito. Orience will be swallowed up in Tempus Finis."_

 

Class Zero being blamed for the cause of Tempus Finis by many surviving cadets and the disappearance of the Consortium of Eight members had wore Deuce’s heart no matter how much she would like to remain optimistic and kind to those in need of emotional support. With many believed that the Agito would arrive at Orience’s most desperate time and save the world from its demise, the lack of the Agito in sight contributed to a great loss of morale to the remaining forces as surreal, giant soldiers had been roaming all over Rubrum, and perhaps in the other nations as well. Its strange, undefeatable nature provided a sense of dread to those who attempted to fight against it and so far, very few had survived and returned from the ordeal.

“Deuski, ya all right?"

It was this interruption that Deuce pulled herself out of further despair. Cinque was standing next to her, appearing dazed as usual under such dire circumstances. _How nice Cinque was_ , thought Deuce, as the other girl looking somewhat oblivious at the gravity of their situation. It was uncertain whether if Cinque's current temperament was genuine or crafted carefully to cope with trouble.

But no matter. It succeeded in reassuring Deuce, being glad that she has her Class Zero friends stuck in the same boat and going through the same situation together.

“Hey, Cinque.” Deuce gave a reassuring smile.

“It was getting depressing in Classroom Zero. And I found out that you weren’t there. So I came looking for you.” said Cinque in her usual perky manner. “My legs are turning jelly. Can we sit down?” As Cinque and Deuce made their way to the benches, they saw the portal lighting up, finding to see Eight and Jack coming out of it. 

The two boys took notice of the two youngest Class Zero girls and sat together.

"Sooo, you two came out to get away with the nasty comments and depressing air too?" Cinque's hand slide towards her ponytail and fiddled with it. 

"Mmm, maybe." Jack said, placing both hands behind his head as he stared at the ominous red sky. 

Eight, who was sitting the furthest from the girls turned towards them, making sure they could take a good look at him. "You could say we need some quiet time from everything; a time-out, if you want to be more specific."

"Yeah, that's what I was going for. Nice job." Jack said in his usual cheery tone, then placed his left hand over Eight's shoulder. The latter shrugged it off, sensing that the class clown was probably up to no good whenever he does that without warning. Eight turned to Deuce, and as he looked down, he saw the flute on her hand.

"It'll be nice if you could play something just for us before we head out. Whenever I saw you use the flute on the battlefield, it does seemed out of place."

"Hmm?" Deuce lifted her hand, showing her flute to her friends. "Yeah..." she chuckled. "But you all do hear me play it around Akademeia in off-mission hours. Is there a difference at the way I played?" 

Jack crossed his arms and tilted his head, looking somewhat confused as he ponder what to say next. "I mean, it's not the same. What I'm saying is the songs you've played. Not to sound ungrateful, but lately your songs are getting...well...they just don't sound like you enjoyed playing them. Sure, we're fighting against Milites and Concordia lately. But whenever I get to hear you play the flute around Akademeia for the last two months, they sound...well, miserable." He slumped and let out a sigh before continuing. "There's no joy in the songs you played with your flute anymore. As far as I can sense it."

It was something for Jack to come clean, knowing that he tends to hide any sadness whenever he can with everyone he talks to at all times. 

"As much as I hate to admit, Deuce," Eight begun, looking at Deuce in the eyes without hesitation, "He's right. I know this isn't a good time to say this, but is it okay for you to play us something like you used to?" 

It was at that moment Deuce thought she had forgotten something, and being the performer she had failed to realise sooner that her playing has changed. Her typical joyous playing style has altered to the point that it had sounded less livelier overtime. Slowly, the smile on Deuce began to falter, her eyes back on the flute she was holding.

"If that's too hard for you," Cinque proposed a suggestion, "maybe you feel a lot better once we save the world. And then you'll be energised enough to play us something sweet. How about that, Deuski?" 

Eight nodded. "We've been battling all sorts of enemies since our first induction to Akademeia, whether we like it or not. Be it a Militisi supersoldier or something tougher like those strange armoured figures all over Orience, I'm sure that you'll find a reason to play something for all of us after we go through this ordeal. How about that?"

That left Deuce speechless to make her next defense. With the encouragement she was receiving from Cinque, as innocent as ever and Eight, with a clear mind and a mature heart for a boy of his age, it was hard to resist their offer. 

"Promise?" Cinque held up her pinky to Deuce, as cheery as always. "Pinky promise?"

* * *

  _"Mother. Like I promised, I've learnt the song you taught me."_

 

_"Oh? I'm afraid I have plenty of things to attend to at the moment. Why don't you play it for the other children?"_

 

_"It-it's okay, I'll do it another time."_

 

_"It's okay, my child. Please show me how far you have come."_

 

_"All right, Mother! Try not to do anything weird if I happen to play any wrong notes like how Nine did two days ago. Promise?"_

 

_"Pinky promise. You've trained hard and no matter what I'll always be proud with you and my children. Even when I'm no longer around to see you all spread your wings and fly."_

* * *

She remembered the very exchange she had with Mother years ago.

But now they are on their own. And here they are, back in Classroom Zero, sharing their joy and sorrow with one another. 

Talking with Class Zero about their dreams and aspirations for the future now that they have taken down Cid Aulstyne at Pandemonium helped to ease the pain coming from the cuts on Deuce's entire body despite saying so many positive things that she could not have done given the grim state of recent affairs. At least it helped alleviated her state of mind as they shared and laughed at what they want to do aside from fighting.

He could not recall the last time all of them got together like this and enjoyed themselves. _To have Sice showing her gentler sight towards everyone aside from Mother without holding back was a rare sight to behold_ , Eight thought. For the first time in his life, seeing the usually solemn King and the usually dry Trey, where jokes made at his expense were often over his head, actually had a sense of humour. Though Eight considered their jokes to be rather immature for their standards that defied their everyday demeanour from as long he could remember.

“…and to put it into context, it's worse than putting your hand into a chocobo’s mouth. At least chocobos ate Gyshal Greens and not having a Bomb explode 500 sacks of expired fertilisers that resembles a giant fart that the Commandant would probably do in his sleep.”

The Class Zero cadets laughed out loud and for that very instant, it would seemed that the pain, the swelled feeling of various intensities originated from their wounds do not matter. Nine, who had been doing nothing but roared with laughter for the past instant slapped Trey’s back

“Hehe, for once you’re actually funny.” Cater wiped the tears with her heavily cut hand, ignoring the lingering pain she unknowingly inflicted onto herself. “You know, it’s nice of you to show us your less obnoxious side.”

Trey sat up straight, as straight as he could in his current state. “So Cater, you find me obnoxious all this time we've been together?"

“Didn't you notice? Are you really that dense? Why you…no, you’re gonna be so sorry that you regret opening that big mouth of yours again.”

“Here we go again…"

“Seems like some things never change." Everyone laughed their hearts out 

Ace looked as though he remembered something and muttered, “If only Machina and Rem were here."

A silence loomed across the torn classroom. It was another instance that there was something amiss without the new transfers around to spend time together as a group of close-knitted friends. Despite only joining Class Zero later than the rest and having some regrets in regards on how they have treated Machina, it was this short stint with those two that they felt that there was a purpose to fulfil aside from engaging in combat and mastering magic than they have ever been before joining Akademeia in contributing to the war efforts.

Cinque tilted her head, looking puzzled with the two’s whereabouts. “I wonder how Remski’s doing. But as for Machy…"

“You think he’s looking for us?” Queen said.

Sice turned to Queen, raising an eyebrow over her comment. “I thought he rubbed you the wrong way from the very beginning."

Queen pushed her glasses from the sides and shook her head. “I have feelings too, Sice. And even a cadet as ungrateful as Machina Kunagiri deserved some concern from me too.”

“I wonder how they are now.” Cinque slummed against the desk, her back feeling less strained than before. “Remski and Machy are probably looking for us. I don’t think they want us looking like this.” She placed her hand on her left leg that looked badly cut, turning her gaze away from her friends. It was this moment that she had an epiphany as she saw the huge open space between where they were seated and a spot where the blackboard was once at.

* * *

It has been only been about ten minutes (according to Queen’s estimation) and everyone had decided to make a flag of their own using their torn up capes. The capes have no further practical use as everyone anticipated and all passed them on to King who tied them up together. With the makeshift flag hung using the handle of some of their weapons, it was truly a pity that the wind was weak to even see the flag blowing across it. Nevertheless, everything was set in place, except for one more thing.

"Aye, Deuce." Nine took a glance at her flute as he positioned his lance to make it steadier. "We all agree putting our weapons together, yo."

_There won't be another chance for me to play it again. Choose wisely, Deuce._

"Oh, right." Deuce placed her flute close to her chest, feeling nervous about letting her precious instrument go. "I mean, we won the war. You know, I feel like playing an old song...I was thinking about the song I know long ago, when Mother just taught me my first song on the flute." 

Eight raised his head as soon as Deuce made that statement, with Cinque and Jack doing the same shortly after. This was probably the right time for her to do so and seeing Deuce made up her mind about something drastically decrease the possibility of taking back her word.

"Sweet. A final performance just for the twelve of us." Jack finally settled down as he took a seat at the center of where their weapons were placed. "I mean, guys. What are you waiting for? A free concert at a time like this? C'mon, you don't get to do this everyday. We deserve a reward after what we've all done today."

"Hmm. Not a bad idea coming from you." Queen then sat next to Jack, surprising Jack at the decision that she made. She turned to see her fellow classmates and patted on the only flat ground she could find from her seat, uneven as it can be with plenty of debris all over Classroom Zero. "Now that everything's in place, let's all unwind, shall we?"

The rest of the students, excluding Deuce did as they were told and one by one, all the spots had been occupied. For once, it was clear to see Deuce shaking a little at the sight of seeing them seated like this. All of them held each other's hand, except for Ace with only one hand held together with Cater's and Eight sitting in solitary, knowing to save a spot for Deuce once she has done playing.

"When I first played mastered this song for Mother, she told me to come up with a title. Even Mother did not know what title to come up with this." Deuce placed the flute in playing position, her eyes closed to concentrate how she would like to play this song as beautifully as possible. "And today, it'll be called 'Sounds of Joy' just for us. Please enjoy."

She took a deep breathe, making sure that her diaphragm was filled up with air. The first note she blew on her flute sounded brilliant, more brilliant than it has ever been as much as Deuce could remember. Soon, each consecutive note sounded more striking than the previous note, making sure that she and her friends had the time of their lives and it will be a unforgettable moment that even the Crystals could do nothing to take that away from them. 

As Deuce continued playing her song, she observed her audience's blissful faces through the sounds and emotions that Deuce expressed with her instrument. From the eighth measure of her song onwards, she took one step towards her resting spot of every passing measure she has played. Not long after, they were sleeping soundly and one by one, each of them took their final breath and slept with calm and peaceful faces, something that was hardly seen with the likes of Nine and Sice.

She tried to hold back her tears as she approached the final measures of the song, knowing that a song will be ruined if they are not played with care from start to finish. The moment she was done and has placed her flute with the other weapons, some of them had already passed on. At her current state, she could not tell a person alive or dead, knowing that her memories of all her friends remained intact. 

_I could still remember everyone...does this mean that what we've done...the Crystals..._

"...anyone there?" His first words were muffled, and Deuce could hear Eight mumbling next to her as she gripped onto Eight's and Ace's hands. 

"Mmm hmm. Cinque's here."

"'course." Jack let the silence dominate for that moment, hoping to hear someone else respond to Eight's mumbling. All the remaining survivors could hear was the wind blowing against them, the flag probably rising up by now with rigour. 

"Aahh, seems like we're the only ones left. Sometimes I wonder how...being dead...feels like."

Deuce could hear Eight make a 'shush' sound, as faint as she could hear from their proximity. The howling of the wind returned, louder than the previous moment. No matter how the breeze blowing against them would sing the songs of the coming requiem, Deuce believed that she and her friends were brave to get through this.

“Eight…Deuce…are you still there?” Jack whispered, but it was all he could do with his current state. He adjusted his spot a little, his eyelids felt as if it could shut at any moment.

Deuce gave Jack a reassuring ‘yes’, in which Jack could pick up despite her similarly weary state, but Eight remained completely silent.

“...Eight?”

Deuce’s eyelids were getting heavier in each passing second, breathing slower and deeper as her body would allow it. “Let him be, Jack,” she said in a resigned but playful way. "You know…it must been a long time since I last remembered Eight...having a good night rest."

Jack let out a slight chuckle, as much as he would like to laugh a bit more. “Just like everyone who deserves a good rest. We’ve done well...and we made Mother proud again. But...but..." He was finding it increasingly difficult to spit it out, both he and Deuce the only ones left in the place where it was formerly their classroom. 

Then he took another deep breath and continued, "I don’t feel like joining them as much as...I like to take a break.” His eyes were finally shut, but Jack could still feel his heart beat. The bodies of those around him had begun to turn cold, and it was a matter of time he would be outnumbered with overcoming the coldness of his dead classmates.

“Deuce?"

“Hmm?” The reply was so faint that there was a eerily long pause time between her and him that Jack found it hard to find the right words to assure her, the wind getting stronger each time that it was difficult to hear each other in their little conversation.

“I’m glad…I’m glad that I get to know you...Eight. And Cinque. Ace…and everyone else while it lasted.”

"...me too."

"See you on the other side?"

"...Let's all meet again."

At that moment, Deuce could swore she could heard the sounds of footsteps storming towards Classroom Zero and by the time she could feel the door flinging open, her eyes were shut. Like the rest, she has left no regrets. Orience is finally saved. The world can return to normal all thanks to them.

 

 

 

 

_Can you hear the sounds of joy being played all around you?_

 


End file.
